Draymond Green Takes Strong Stance on Giannis Antetokounmpo Amid Warriors Trade Rumors

When you think about some of the most dominant and fierce power forwards of all time, several names pop up in your mind. But who’s the great player at the four in this era? Right away, only one name crosses everyone’s mind: Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s no doubt that the Greek Freak is one of the most dominant and ruthless players the league has ever seen. However, is categorizing Giannis as a power forward fair? Well, Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green thinks otherwise.

Circling back to the opening line. Two names stand apart from everyone else when the debate is on power forwards: Tim Duncan and Karl Malone. Duncan is arguably the franchise player, whereas Malone is one of the most prolific power forwards to ever grace the NBA. Calling both of these players two of the greatest power forwards of all time might be a disservice to their talent. Is Antetokounmpo a good fit next to them? Green steps in.

When asked to agree or disagree on whether Giannis Antetokounmpo is the greatest modern power forward, the Warriors star gave an unusual reply. “I disagree with that…,” however, he soon explained the reasoning behind not thinking that the Greek superstar is not the great power forward of this generation.

He continued, “…because Giannis is one of the greatest players of this era. And the game was kind of positionless. What made people start calling Giannis a power four is because you had to start putting power, force, and centers on Giannis. The team that you build around Giannis is because his skill set was so great in driving, or still great driving, and getting downhill is you put a lot of shooting around him.”

“So then when people look at the game, they’re like, ‘Oh well, Drew Holiday must be this position and Chris Middleton must be this position and that guy must be this position and Brook Lopez is a five.’ All right, great.” Green added without downplaying the rest. But for him: “Giannis is a power four, right, and that’s why I think people start saying that Giannis is a power forward because Giannis is what his attributes are. He’s 6’11 250, some 60-something pounds strong as an ox, fast as a gazelle because of those attributes.” He added, while speaking on his podcast, ‘The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.‘

Nov 13, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates after scoring during overtime against the Detroit Pistons at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Indeed, Antetokounmpo is one of the best two-way players in the league right now. Moreover, he possesses a skill set that enables him to be able to penetrate the rim and also serve as the team’s ball handler at the same time. There are only a few players in history who have been blessed with such a unique combination of size, speed, and skill. So, Draymond Green, having seen the Greek Freak up close, knows how the Milwaukee Bucks have built their team around him.

The Bucks have surrounded him with shooters, which might make many think that Giannis is a power forward through and through. However, that’s not the case. Nonetheless, Green gave Giannis Antetokounmpo his flowers after taking a strong stance by calling him “one of the greatest players of this era.” Meanwhile, he hopes that the Milwaukee superstar could suit up alongside him next season as Giannis’ Warriors trade rumors hit the market.

Is Giannis Antetokounmpo on the Golden State Warriors’ radar?

Milwaukee’s superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, has been the talk of the town since the Milwaukee Bucks crashed out of the first round in the playoffs. The Bucks forward sent shockwaves through the league when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that for the first time in his career, the 30-year-old is viewing his options apart from Milwaukee. Several factors, such as the team’s performance from the past couple of seasons and Damian Lillard’s season-ending injury, have led to Giannis making this tough decision. While the Spurs, Heat, and Raptors have an edge if we talk about assets, San Francisco remains a place the Greek Freak would like to land.

Although the forward is open to offers from all the teams, his recent appearances in the Bay Area would agree to disagree. However, despite the rumored interest from both parties, making a deal work could be a bit tricky for Draymond Green and Co., most notably because of the Milwaukee forward’s massive $54.1 million salary for the upcoming season. Right now, the Warriors are already paying the luxury tax to accommodate their superstars: Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. However, adding Antetokounmpo to the mix could make the team helpless with adding more pieces to the team.

Mar 6, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) meet after the game at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

So, it will not be easy if the Golden State Warriors try to acquire the two-time MVP. But again, we’ve all seen crazier things happen in the league. Moreover, from the San Francisco-based franchise’s perspective, this deal would be earth-shattering. Firstly, they would get their bona fide ‘Big Three’ of Curry, Butler, and Antetokounmpo. Then would also have a successor of Curry’s legacy in the coming years. The Milwaukee star can single-handedly transform the Warriors. However, will it happen? That will be up to the Warriors front office, as a huge summer awaits them.

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